Sewing machines

ABSTRACT

A SEWING MACHING FOR UNITING BY A SEAM WORK PIECES OF UNEQUAL LENGTHS BY PUCKERING THE LONGER WORK PIECE SO THAT ITS LENGTH MATCHES THAT OF THE SHORTER AS THE INSERTION OF THE SEAM PROGRESSES. THE PUCKERING, WHICH IS PARTICULARLY USEFUL IN SEWING A MOCASSIN VAMP TO A MOCCASIN PLUG, IS ACCOMPLISHED BY A MECHANIUSM INCLUDING A PUCKERING AWL WHICH ENGAGES THE LONGER OF THE TWO PARTS, TYPICALLY THE VAMP, AHEAD OF A SEWING PLANE. THE AWL IS ADVANCED IN A STRAIGHT LINE TOWARD THE SEWING PLANE TO A GREATED EXTENT THAN THE PLUG THEREBY CAUSING THE VAMP TO PUCKER.

P 20, 1971 J. R. IOANNILLI 3,605,658

SEWING MACHINES Filed July 8, 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor Joseph I?Joann/Ni By his Attorney Maw J. R. IOANNILLI SEWING MACHINES Sept. '20,1971 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 8, 1970 P 20, 1971 J. R. IOANNILLI3,605,658

SEWING MACHINES Filed July 8, 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 P 20, 1971 J. R.IOANNILLI 3,605,658

SEWING mcnms Filed July 8, 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept. 20, 1971 J. R'.IOANNILLI 3, 3

SEWING MACHINES 7 Filed July 8, 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 1mm w l llHn \i WUnited States Patent 3,605,658 SEWING MACHINES Joseph R. Ioannilli,Beverly, Mass., assignor to USM Corporation, Boston, Mass. Filed July 8,1970, Ser. No. 53,173 Int. Cl. Db 15/00 US. Cl. 112-54 11 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A sewing machine for uniting by a seam workpieces of unequal lengths by puckering the longer work piece so that itslength matches that of the shorter as the insertion of the seamprogresses. The puckering, which is particularly useful in sewing amoccasin vamp to a moccasin plug, is accomplished by a mechanismincluding a puckering awl which engages the longer of the two parts,typically the vamp, ahead of a sewing plane. The awl is advanced in astraight line toward the sewing plane to -a greater extent than the plugthereby causing the vamp to pucker.

The present invention relates generally to improvements in sewingmachines and more particularly to work advancing devices adapted tooperate upon work plies having edges of unequal length which are matchedby longitudinally compressing and puckering the longer edge in advanceof the sewing point.

In my copending application Ser. No. 829,309, filed June 2, 1969, nowPat. No. 3,530,808, there is disclosed a machine especially useful forsewing together parts of a true moccasin comprising a vamp which, in thecompleted shoe, extends beneath the foot of the wearer and has arelatively long edge joined to a shorter edge of a plug. In the machineof my copending application the margin of the vamp is matched to that ofthe plug by progressively longitudinally compressing or puckering thevamp margin at a point in advance of the insertion of stitches.Longitudinal puckering is accomplished in the prior machine byinstrumentalities including an awl to which is imparted two arcuatemotions, one in a vertical plane to engage and disengage the vamp andthe other in a horizontal plane for compressing the margin of the vampahead of the sewing point. The combination of motions imparted to thevamp by the awl moving in arcuate paths requires considerable operatorskill for the guidance of the moccasin parts. In addition, it issometimes necessary to lower the sewing speed to produce a product ofuniformly high quality. A high degree of operator skill and a low sewingspeed are required when operating upon leathers which are either thickor stiff and resistive to puckering and when the moccasin style isabruptly curved, particularly in the toe area.

It is a general object of the present invention to improve theproductivity and reduce the amount of skill required in the operation ofa sewing machine adapted to insert a seam in joining parts of unequallength such as a vamp to the plug of a moccasin.

Another object is to improve the quality and uniformity of machine-sewnmoccasins at the same time that productivity is also enhanced.

Still another object is to permit the insertion by machine, of a seamuniting the parts of moccasins of much more diversified styles than haveheretofore been possible.

The foregoing objects are achieved by providing a vamp puckering awlshaped and actuated in a combination of motions according to features ofthe invention so as to cooperate effectively with stitch forming and3,605,658 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 work advancing instrumentalities ofthe machine to facilitate the guidance and manipulation of the workpieces at the sewing point. The shape of the puckering awl is arcuateand it is adjustably mounted so that it may be concentrical or ifdesired, slightly eccentric with a curved machine awl which perforatesboth plies of the work and a curved hook needle which penetrates thework through the perforation formed by the machine awl and retractscarrying a loop of needle thread as a step in the formation of a stitch.The puckering awl is oscillated vertically for engaging and releasingthe vamp and in addition is reciprocated along a straight line in adirection generally perpendicular to a plane in which the machine awland needle oscillate to perform its puckering function.

The foregoing objects and features of the invention will best beunderstood from a detailed description of an illustrative embodiment ofthe present invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawingsin which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary detailed view in perspective as seen from thefront of the machine, illustrating work manipulating instrumentalitiesaccording to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view on a reduced scale and in perspective withsome parts omitted and others shown in exploded relationship forclarity, of stitch forming and work puckering instrumentalities of themachine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in right side elevation of the instrumentalitiesdepicted in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4-9 are similar views in perspective as seen from a directionabove and slightly to the right of the sewing point depictingprogressive steps in the formation of a stitch and the accompanyingoperation of work puckering and advancing devices of the machine;

FIG. 10 is a view in perspective taken in approximately the samedirection as FIGS. 4-9 illustrating a puckering awl equipped with aresilient pleat former for use upon materials which are resistive topuckering;

FIG. 11 is a view illustrating the pleat former of FIG. 10 in engagementwith a work piece during sewing; and

FIG. 12 is a detail view in perspective illustrating the mounting of thepleat former around the work puckering awl. l I

Turning now to the drawings, particularly FIGS. 1 to 3 inclusive, it isseen that Work piece manipulating and feeding devices of the presentinvention are incorporated in a lock stitch shoe sewing machine,typically such as that disclosed in US. Letters Pat. No. 2,420,643,issued May 20, 1-947 in the name of Fred Ashworth. The machine includesa shuttle or loop taker 20, a curved hook needle 22, and a workpenetrating curved machine awl 24 mounted for oscillatory motion in afixed plane with the needle 22. Work feed is accomplished by a workadvancing clamp comprising a work support 26- and a presser foot 28similar to that disclosed in my aboveidentified copending application.The motion and form of a work puckering awl of the present machineconstitute a substantial improvement over those disclosed in mycopending application. The basic timing of the machine and some of theparts have remained unchanged in the present one. For example, theretaining finger 30 performs the same function in the present machine asits counterpart does in the machine of my copending application. Thefinger 30 is pivoted at 32 and is actuated to grip and release the vampon the underside of the work support 26 by a link 34 which is one of thework support 26 by a link 34- which is one of the connections betweenthe finger and a cam-actuated lever 36. The pivot 32, as best seen inFIGS. 4 to 9, is supported in ears mounted for movement with the worksupport 26 and ice hence the pivot reciprocates with the work support ina work feeding and return direction. The finger 30 thus grips the vampon the underside of the work support 26 to assist in retaining puckers.The presser foot 28 is raised and lowered out of and into clampingengagement with the plug on the upper surface of the work support in theproper time relationship to cooperate in the work advancing function ofthe feeding clamp.

Shown in FIG. 1 is the right end portion of a generally horizontal link38 which imparts an oscillatory motion in a horizontal plane to a lever40 in a manner similar to that of the corresponding lever of mycopending application. The motion imparted by the link 38 to the lever40 is variable in its extent as in my copending application to changethe amount of puckering imparted to the work piece while the machine isin motion. The interconnection between the lever 40 and a curved workpuckering awl 42 of the present machine is significantly different fromthe arrangement of my copending application. In addition, mechanism forraising the awl 42 into engagement with the vamp preparatory to thepuckering motion and for lowering for withdrawal from engagement withthe vamp also represent significant improvements over the copendingapplication.

As seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 the curvature of the awl 42 coincides generallywith that of the needle 22 and the awl 24, being mounted for motionapproximately about the same axis. The fact that the awl 42 closelycoincides in its shape and its path about the axis of the awl 24 permitsa transfer of engagement of the work from the awl 42 to the awl 24without deflecting the work piece laterally of the line of the seam. InFIGS. 3, 8, 9 and 11 the plies of the work are shown as a vamp 44 and aplug 46.

The awl 42 is fixedly secured to the leftward end of an irregular shapedcarrier 48 slidably mounted on a cylindrical guide 50. The awl carrier48 receives a combination of longitudinal sliding and oscillatingmotions along and about the guide 50 which is fixedly mounted inupstanding ears of a bracket 52. As seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 the bracket 52is secured by screws 54 to the work support assembly so that the guide50 reciprocates in a work feeding direction with the work support 26.The location of the guide 50 determines the axis about which the awl 4-2swings. Generally the guide 50 is mounted coaxially with a stud 56 aboutwhich the needle 22 and the machine awl 24 oscillates. However, therelative positioning of the guide 50 and the stud 56 can be varied byraising or lowering the bracket 52 and clamping it by the screws 54which for this purpose pass through enlarged openings in the bracket.The raising or lowering of the bracket 52 so that the axis of the guide50' is either above or below that of the stud 56 and thus slightlyeccentric with respect thereto causes the entry of the awl 42 to imparta slight outward or inward motion to the vamp which is useful infacilitating the guidance of certain styles of moccasins.

For engaging and releasing the vamp 44, the awl 42 receives a pivotalmotion about the guide 50 through mechanisms including a vertical link58. Longitudinal puckering motion is imparted to the awl 42 through areciprocating motion of the carrier 48 which for this pur pose isconnected to a horizontal link 60.

As seen in FIG. 2, the lever 40 is pivoted at 66 near its outer end andis actuated through an adjustable oscillatory motion about the pivot bythe link 38 in the same manner as its counterpart in my above-identifiedcopending application. At its inner end the lever 48 has a ball jointconnection with the link 60 which is also similarly connected to adepending car 68 of the awl carrier 48.

For imparting the oscillatory motion to the carrier 48 about the guide50 the end of the link 58 is connected by means of a ball pivot to theinner end of a generally horizontal lever 70 which is pivoted at 72 onthe lever 40. The outer end of the lever 40 is pivotally connected at 74to a link 76 which is reciprocated vertically by a cam to impart thework engaging and releasing motion to the awl 42. The upper end of thelink 58 is pivotally connected by means of a ball joint to an outwardlyprojecting ear 78 of the awl carrier 48.

Thick and stiff leathers may be so resistive to longitudinal compressionthat the puckering does not produce uniform creases each extending inessentially a sharply defined straight line from the vamp edge throughthe stitch holes a further distance comparable to the distance from thestitch holes to the edge of the vamp. In order to assist in theformation of uniform creases in such resistive materials there isprovided a resilient former 82 shown in FIGS. 10 to 12 inclusive, havinga vamp engaging edge 84 aligned with the awl 42. The former 82 ispivoted on a stud 86 and is formed with a tail 88 which maintains theedge 84 at a level close to the point of the awl 42. When the vamp 44 ispenetrated by the awl 42 the edge 84 is pressed against the vamp along aline passing near the awl perforation and generally perpendicular to theedge of the vamp. The motion of the awl to the left toward the sewingplane in which the needle 22 and the machine awl 24 oscillate causes asharply defined crease to form accurately along the edge 84.

The relative timing in the operation of the work feeding, vamp puckeringand stitch forming instrumentalities of the machine will be understoodby reference to my aboveidentified copending application since thetiming of the machine functions has not been changed. In a general way,however, the operation of the machine will be understood from FIGS. 4 to9 inclusive in which there are shown successive steps in an operatingcycle. In FIG. 4 the instrumentalities are depicted as they are disposedwhen the machine is about to start. The presser foot 28 has been loweredinto engagement with the plug 46 but the work feeding clamp whichcomprises the presser foot 28 and the work support 26 has not yet beenbackfed nor has the puckering awl 42 which is shown in contact with themachine awl 24 been returned to the starting position of its next workpuckering motion. In FIG. 5 the awl 24 has penetrated both the vamp 44and the plug 46' while the awl 42, out of engagement with the vamp, hasalready been backfed. During the backfeeding motion of the work feedingclamp, which takes place after the time depicted in FIG. 5 and beforethe showing of FIG. 6, the relative orientation of the plug 46 and vamp44 is maintained by the machine awl 24. In FIG. 7 the machine awl 24 isalmost completely retracted from the work and is being closely followedby the needle 22 as the awl 42 is engaging the vamp prior to the startof the puckering motion. As shown in FIG. 8, the needle 22 is in theprocess of retracting, carrying a loop of needle thread to beinterlocked by the shuttle 20 with a locking thread in a conventionalmanner to form a lock stitch. The puckering awl 42 after havingpenetrated into the vamp 44 has advanced toward the awl 24 therebycausing the formation of a pucker 88. The formation of the pucker isaccomplished by the advance of the awl 42 first while the needle 22 isin the vamp and then, after the needle 22 is withdrawn, by the clampingaction of the retaining finger 30' which prevents the vamp from slidingleftwardly thus avoiding the formation of a pucker. In FIG. 9, the loopof needle thread has been taken up by the shuttle and the needle istherefore ready for its next work penetrating and thread withdrawalaction. At the same time, the machine awl 24 is rising toward the vamp4-4 to penetrate the vamp at a point as close as possible to theperforation formed by the puckering awl 42 and thereafter to penetratethe plug 46, rising to the level depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6. Because theawl 42 is curved about the same axis and at a radius equal to that ofthe awl 24 there is no displacement of the vamp 44 when the machine awlenters the vamp in a perforation immediately adjacent that formed by thepuckering awl 42. There is also no displacement of the work piece out ofthe line of the seam nor distortion since the puckering motion of theawl 42 is in a straight line centered with the working clamp comprisingthe work support 26 and the presser foot 28.

Having thus disclosed my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A machine for sewing together a first ply and a second ply of aworkpiece comprising stitch forming instrumentalities including a needleactuated at a sewing point for forming stitches, a puckering awl adaptedto engage the second ply of the workpiece and movable toward the sewingpoint and actuating means for imparting to the awl is longitudinalstraight line work compressing motion in advance of the sewing pointwhereby portions of the margin of the second ply are joined in puckeredrelationship by stitches to the margin of the first ply.

2. The machine according to claim 1 further comprising a curved machineawl and means for oscillating the machine and through a work penetratingand withdrawal motion and further characterized in that the puckeringawl is curved on a radius equal to that of the machine awl.

3. A machine according to claim 2 further characterized in that themotion of the two awls is coaxial.

4. A machine according to claim 2 further comprising means foradjustably mounting the puckering awl for movement either concentricallyor eccentrically with relation to the machine awl.

5. A machine according to claim 1 further comprising a resilient formerhaving a work creasing edge located in line with the puckering awl andgenerally perpendicular to the work compressing motion.

6. A machine for sewing together a first ply and a second ply of a workpiece, comprising stitch forming instrumentalities including a curvedhook needle oscillated in a sewing plane and a curved puckering awladapted to engage the second ply only of the work piece and movabletoward the sewing plane and actuating means for imparting to the awl alongitudinal work compressing motion in advance of the sewing planewhereby portions of the margin of the second ply are joined in puckeredrelationship by stitches to the margin of the first ply.

7. A machine according to claim 6 further comprising a curved machineawl having a radius of curvature equal to that of the work engaging awl.

8. A machine according to claim 7 further characterized in that the twoawls are mounted for oscillatory motion about the same axis.

9. A machine according to claim 6 further comprising a work advancingclamp including a work support and means for imparting a work advancingmotion to the work support during a part of each sewing cycle.

10. A machine according to claim 9 further comprising a guide fixedlymounted on the work support and means for imparting to the awl astraight line work puckering motion relatively to the Work support andalong the guide.

11. A machine according to claim 10 further comprising means foroscillating the awl about the guide to engage and disengage the secondply of the work piece.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 313,705 3/1885 Barsby 112281,284,646 11/1918 Grammeter 112-54 2,336,703 1/ 1945 Ashworth 156982,420,614 5/ 1947 Ashworth 264239 2,972,316 2/1961 Ashworth et a1.112-36 3,530,808 9/1970 Ioannilli 112-54 r PATRICK D. LAWSON, PrimaryExaminer a

